Survey of barnacle settlement in mid-marsh and creekbank plots at GCE LTER study sites in October 2013

To characterize spatial variation in barnacle recruitment within two zones in the salt marsh, the mid-marsh and creekbank, and across a gradient in salinity and distance to ocean, we deployed PVC poles to passive sample barnacle settlement. Eight poles were deployed between 4-5m apart in each marsh zone at each GCE LTER permanent monitoring site in Fall 2012 and collected in October 2013. All barnacle settled on poles were identified and counted on 50cm-long sections of the 8, 3/4" diameter PVC poles. Although a few other barnacle species are occur within this estuary, only one species settled on poles: Chlathamus fragilis.